Chapter 1

Keith looked at his watch and groaned.

“Oh,for crying out loud!Only two more hours until we can clock off.”

Casey laughed.

“You’ve been moaning about clocking off for the last four hours.Am I really that boring?”

“It’s nothing on you,Case,I just don’t like sitting around doing nothing.And this shift has been very boring.”

Keith had been warned that there would be days where he didn’t do anything and days where he wouldn’t be able to sit down.His big sister had said this was the life of a patrol officer,and he would need to get used to it.Keith had been on the job for close to two years and he still hated what he called‘lazy shifts’.How Myra had managed to get through these without going mad,Keith had no idea;she was more restless than he was.

“I’m with you,it’s boring right now.And we’ve been sitting in this damn car for nearly an hour.”Casey eased her seat back a little before stretching out her legs and rubbing her belly.“But if you keep moaning about the amount of time we’ve got left on the clock,I’m going to wallop you one.”

“You wouldn’t be able to catch me.”

“Who said I’m going to wallop you with my bare hands?”Casey gestured at the steering wheel in front of her.“I’m the one behind the wheel.”

“Ouch.”

At least the company was good.Casey English was a good cop and a good friend.Keith enjoyed shifts with her.It was a shame that it wasn’t going to happen for a while,not if Casey’s husband had anything to do with it.He was in a bit of a mood that his wife,at four months pregnant,was still going out to deal with crime when she should have been at the station behind a desk.Casey had ranted about that so many times,and it was a fight with her sergeant to let her go out.Keith was aware of a compromise where Casey would go to desk duty once she wasn’t able to get out of the car,but that didn’t make her husband feel any better.

It did make Keith a little uncomfortable.He hadn’t dealt with a pregnant woman before,so he had no idea how it was meant to be.Casey was tough,she could handle herself easily,but the pregnancy made Keith very hyper-aware and a little too protective.It was at the point where Casey kept scolding him for treating her like spun glass.Keith didn’t like being scolded.

She couldn’t blame him for that.He hadn’t had anyone close to him deal with a pregnancy.His siblings didn’t have kids,and Keith wasn’t a dad.How was he supposed to know?

“Even though I will hate going on desk duty until maternity leave,I will be glad not to be stuck in a car for hours.”Casey shifted in her seat.“I feel like all my joints seize up in one position.My ankles have to be double the normal size.”

“All the more reason you should be on desk duty.”Keith pointed out.“You can’t even get out of the car without me helping you.”

“I don’t need help,you just make it look like I need help.”

“I’ll remember that next time you’re demanding me to give you a push to get off the seat.”

Casey swatted his arm.

“Little bugger.At least it’s better than you wanting to stop at a convenience store to get a bottle of your favorite stuff instead of the water we carry in the car all the time.”

“Hey!A man’s got to have a little vice!”

“By getting a six-pack of Lilt?”Casey shuddered.“I don’t know how you can drink that down when it’s been stuck in a warm car all day.”

Keith shrugged.

“You get used to it.Besides,at this time of year,it’s cold enough that they stay cool.”

Casey grunted.

“At least it’s not an alcohol habit.That I might be able to understand.But Lilt?Seriously?”

They had been over this before.Keith just had a sweet tooth for the soda.He had had his first when he was ten and couldn’t get enough of it.It was at the point where he would drink it like it was water.His family did point out that he needed to cut back,but Keith couldn’t bring himself to do it.He did end up drinking less on days he worked,and that made him super cranky.Much like when he didn’t see his favorite drink in the soda aisle.

Casey teased him about it,but Keith didn’t mind.He knew spending all his money on soda was not a good idea,but he argued that at least he wasn’t an alcoholic or a smoker.That could kill anyone.Until his brother pointed out that an overconsumption of soda would kill him as well.

Fourteen years,and Keith was still alive.He would take the risk.And he ate healthily outside of that,so weight wasn’t an issue.He just had an annoying but addictive habit.That wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon,he was sure.

“You do know if you ever become a dad,Keith,you’re going to have to cut down on soda or cut it out altogether.”Casey pointed out.“Then you’ll have extra money for the baby.”

Keith snorted.

“I’ll figure it out.And I’m not becoming a dad anytime soon.”

“You’ve not had an offer?”

“You make it sound really sordid.”

Casey laughed,tugging her blond ponytail over her shoulder.

“Maybe it is.But you’ve never considered having a baby with someone?”

“Not really on my list right now.I’m happy being a bachelor with only obligations to myself.”

“Really?”Casey’s eyes glinted.“You’ve never thought you could make cute little Keith babies with a woman?”

“Now that just sounds bad.”Keith shuddered.“Who would want a baby with me?”

“You never know,someone might jump up and say‘me’.”

Keith wasn’t so sure about that.He was only twenty-four.He didn’t want to think about having kids until he was at least thirty.If it happened before,Keith would deal with it,but kids would happen later for him.He was enjoying his single life too much.

Babies weren’t exactly a mood killer,but for him,he would rather be single and childfree for a little longer.

Their radio started buzzing,bringing Keith out of his thoughts.

“This is Dispatch.RTC on Greenwood Avenue North in Bitter Lake.One car is still at the scene.Paramedics are on the way.Request police assistance.”

Greenwood Avenue North.That was in a residential area only around the corner.Casey glanced at Keith and nodded,so Keith picked up the radio receiver.

“Dispatch,this is Alpha-Fox-Niner.We’re close by and heading to the scene immediately.”

“Roger that,Alpha-Fox-Niner.”

Keith put the receiver back and sighed.

“Another one.That will be the sixth this week,and it’s only Wednesday.You’d think people would know how to drive.”

“Not everyone does.”Casey said as she pulled the car away from the kerb.“They should make the test harder.”

“If they did that,how are you going to pass it?”

Casey shot him a scowl.

“You’re lucky we’re on the move now.Do you want to walk the rest of the way?”

“No,thanks.”Keith laughed.“Not in this snow.”